


Best Laid Plans

by clgfanfic



Category: The Sentinel
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-11-02
Updated: 2012-11-02
Packaged: 2017-11-17 14:04:14
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,311
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/552353
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/clgfanfic/pseuds/clgfanfic
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jim and Blair play some more.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Best Laid Plans

**Author's Note:**

> Published in the zine Mating Rituals #4 under the pen name Teri. Based on an ASJ story.

Jim Ellison and Blair Sandburg drove into the small Arizona town, both relieved to have escaped the desert alive.  After dropping a prisoner off in Lukachukai with a Lieutenant Jim Chee, a member of the Navajo Tribal Police, the pair had headed west through the desert to Page.  They made it as far as Hotevilla.

Heat rose off the asphalt, but Blair didn't really notice.  He'd been hot for so long he wasn't sure there was such a thing as cold any more.

"Well, damn," Ellison sighed.

"What?"

"The hotel isn't open."

"What?" Sandburg repeated, turning in his seat to check each of the seven buildings that made up the "downtown": bar, gas station, grocery, hardware, feed store, a church, and the boarded up hotel.  He looked back to Jim.  "Maybe the bar?"

Ellison shrugged.  "Let's find out."

Jim parked outside the building.  Stepping into the adobe building, they were met with silence.  The lone occupant – an old Indian man sitting behind the bar ruffling a fan under his chin – didn't even glance at them.  "I'm out o' everything," he drawled.

Jim and Blair exchanged glances.

"How about water?" Blair asked hopefully.

"Outta that, too."

"Where's the next town?" Jim asked, adding, "Unless you're out of information, too."

The fan stopped and the old man peered at them through squinted wrinkles.  "Uppity, ain't ya?"

"Look," Jim said, taking a step toward the bar, "we're hot, tired, and looking for a cold beer, a hot meal, and a hotel with a cold shower."

The old man's gaze dropped to Ellison's revolver.

"But not necessarily not in that order," Blair added.

The man's chin lifted slightly in defiance.  "Well, you got yourselves a ways to go. Less o' course you wanna eat jackrabbit.  Plenty of jackrabbits 'round here.  As for a shower, there's a waterfall on the way to Cameron.  Ya can get your bath there.  Next town is Tuba City."

"Which way?" Jim asked.

The old man pointed west, then returned to his fanning.

"How long to Tuba City?" Blair asked.

"Fifty miles… if the coyotes don't getcha first."

"Great," Jim muttered as he turned and stalked out the door.  Blair was on his heels.

"Real friendly place," Sandburg said as he climbed back into the rented Bronco.

Ellison shook his head.

When they were back on the road, Blair asked, "So, are we going to stop at Tuba City or go on to that waterfall?" he asked, checking the map.  "Cameron's at the junction to Highway 64, which will take us right to the Grand Canyon National Park."

Jim considered the question, then nodded.  "Okay, let's shoot for the waterfall.  At least we can cool off."

Blair grinned.  Jim was downright cute when he got petulant.  "Fine by me.  I'm just going to sit there in that nice cool water and dream about snow."

 

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

 

Two hours later the two men had found the falls.  They were still in the desert, but there was more scrub and the worst of the heat had already abated.  Still, the sight of the tumbling water was still a welcome sight.

About six to eight feet high, the falls were really a cleft in a small rise where the Little Colorado River was forced into a small space between two large boulders.  It spilled out in a graceful arc, filling a small pool before continuing on its way through the scrub and desert.

"Why don't we just spend the night?" Blair suggested.  "We have the gear for the canyon, why not use it?"

"You've talked me into it," Jim said.

The two men quickly set up their camp, then put their dinner over a small fire.  With that done, they stripped out of their dusty, sweat-damp clothes and made their way to the inviting pool.

"Think it's deep?" Blair asked, hesitating at the edge.

"I doubt it," Jim said, taking two steps into the waiting water.  "Ahhh," he sighed.  "It's warm, just perfect."  He dropped down and glided out into the center of the pool.  He let his feet drop, and found the bottom about four feet down.

"See, I told you.  Four feet, max."

Blair grinned and stomped in.  The water was warm, but still considerably cooler than the afternoon breeze that blew off the desert.  He let himself drop down until only his head was above the water.  "This is nice."

"Mmm," Jim agreed, arching back and floating on the surface.

Blair swallowed hard, memories of the last time they had shared the same body of water bolting into his thoughts, along with the promise he'd made himself.  Despite the cool water he felt the first stirrings in his groin.

But how could he go about it?

He could talk to Jim…

No.

He could just ask…

No.

He could just reach out and–

Various plans evaporated with Jim's started cry.  Blair jumped, turned, then laughed.

Lost in the peaceful sensation, the sentinel had floated too close to the falling water and had been hit in the face by a stray gurgle that bounced over the edge, twisting further out than its companions before joining the pool.  Jim jerked upright, spitting and coughing water.

He gave Blair a peeved scowl.  "What are you laughing at," he wheezed.  "I could've drowned."

Sandburg glided closer.  "Maybe, but the look on your face was really something.  Zoned out, huh?  It looked like the Devil reached up and personally pinched your ass."

Jim tried not to grin.  Good thing Sandburg didn't know what he was thinking about when it had happened.  It would have given the Devil something to be interested in.  And too bad that bartender hadn't had any whiskey.

"Hey," Ellison said, changing the subject.  "I thought you said you were going use the soap first."

"And I am," Blair replied, trudging through the water.  Reaching dry land, he cat-footed across the bare ground to the Coleman stove where he checked the slowly warming stew, then fished in the supplies until he found what was left of a bar of all-natural organic soap.  Opening the small plastic container, he sniffed, trying to imagine it being Jim's cheek.  That brought back another memory, one of kissing…

Blair's eyes sprang back open and his fingers closed around the bar.  One thing at a time, he chastised himself.  And the first thing was getting clean.

 

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

 

Jim watched while Blair rummaged in the box for the soap.  Sunlight sparkled off the drops of water in his long hair and glistened on his shoulders and chest.

He took a deep breath and forced his gaze to drop to the surface of the water.

 _No, no, no!_ he reprimanded himself.  He had been drunk the last time.  Right now he was stone-cold sober, and he wasn't supposed to be having those kinds of thoughts.

His gaze flickered back to Sandburg's expression.  He was holding the soap close to his nose and breathing deeply.  The look of rapture on his face was enough to send the first rumble of excitement into the southern parts of Ellison's anatomy.  _If he looked like that when I touched him…_

 _No!  Damn it_ , he rebuked himself.  _Stop it._   _It just isn't natural_.

 _Hell, what's natural for a freakin' sentinel?  It felt pretty damned natural to me when we were sitting in that hot springs_.

Blair stood and Jim chased the thoughts away, forcing himself to watch a pair of birds chasing each other through the branches of a nearby bush.  Before he realized it, the birds were copulating. 

"You're not helping," he scolded them and they took flight.

"What was that?" Blair asked, splashing back into the water.

"Nothing," Jim replied, turning to see if he could borrow the soap.  He stopped in mid-step, mouth open, eyes wide.

Sandburg sat behind the tumbling water on a small shelf of rock halfway between the top of the falls and the pool.  Spray poured over his naked body, positioned for Jim's pleasure.

Blair arched back, stretching.  "This is great!"

Ellison blew out a breath.  "That's not fair, Chief," he muttered, his eyes flickering skyward for the briefest moment.

When he looked back, Sandburg was busily soaping himself.  Jim held his breath and stepped past the falling water, joining his friend behind the cascade.  There was enough room for him to sit on the same slab of exposed rock.  The surface had been polished smooth by the falling water.

"You about finished with that, Chief?"

Sandburg grinned.  "Yep."  He handed Jim the soap, noticing the blush that colored the older man's cheeks.  _Well, at least he's looking_ , he thought, hoping his seduction might be a little easier if Jim's thoughts were wandering in that direction of their own accord.

Ellison accepted the soap, then set about lathering up his arms, chest, legs, and finally his hair.  That done, he cast a clandestine glance at Blair, only to find the grad student watching him.

"Mind if I borrow that back?" Blair asked casually.  "I forgot something."  His gaze dropped to Ellison's groin.  "So did you."

Jim knew his cheeks were scarlet, but he simply grunted, taking the time to work up a lather in his hands before passing the soap back to Sandburg.  Turning slightly so he wouldn't be watched, he carefully spread the suds through the thick tangle of dark hair, then reached back to brush his hand over his testicles – more than that and he'd _really_ have something to be embarrassed about.  With two quick strokes down his shrunken penis, he pushed off the rock ledge and slid into the water to rinse.

Dunking to remove the suds from his hair, Jim surfaced and pushed the water off his face before checking on Blair's progress.

Blair accepted the soap back, working carefully not to let the amusement he felt show on his face.  He'd managed to embarrass Jim – no small feat.  His sentinel _was_ thinking similar thoughts.  He worked up some lather while Ellison turned away for some privacy, quickly finishing his bath, then sliding into the pool.

          A strong pulse of pleasure caught him by surprise, and Sandburg looked down, realizing that he'd been frictioning himself with a soapy hand.  He was now holding his nearly-erect cock.

Jim surfaced and wiped his face, then caught sight of him just before Blair could slip into the water, hiding the evidence of his arousal.

"Guess I better check that stew," Ellison said a little airily.

"Good idea," Blair agreed.  "I'm gonna wash my hair, then I'll join you."

Jim nodded, then swam out from behind the waterfall and climbed out of the pool.  Sandburg watched him dress through the distortion of the cascade, then lathered up his hair and rinsed it.  With that done, he took stock of his situation.

The water had done its job, shriveling his cock back to a less embarrassing size. All he had to do was get out, get dressed, eat, then…

He grinned.  Then Jim Ellison was going to get the seduction of his life.

 

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

 

Twilight settled over their camp just as Blair finished cleaning up after supper. There wasn't much to do, just rinse out the coffeepot, two tin cups, and two plates.  He glanced up at the orange and purple streaks the setting sun had painted across the high clouds.  It was a beautiful sight.

On a hunch he filled the pot with clean water and carried it back to the fire.  "I got some water for in the morning."

Jim looked up from where he lounged back against his ground-chair.  "Good idea, but we can just drive into the next town for breakfast."

Sandburg shrugged.  "I don't know.  This is a nice spot.  Maybe we should stick around tomorrow morning, enjoy the scenery, relax a little."

Ellison stared up at the starry sky.  "I thought you wanted to get to the Canyon."

"I'm guess I'm not in such a big hurry after all," Blair admitted as he stretched out next to Jim, leaning back against his own ground-chair.

"I don't know, steak and eggs and real coffee sounds pretty good to me."  Jim rolled his head to the side so he could see Blair.

Blair smiled.  "You're starting to sound like me," he teased.  "You're supposed to be the great outdoors man."

"Yeah, I am.  I'm looking forward to seeing the Grand Canyon."

Blair nodded.  "Me, too.  If you want to leave first thing, that's fine with me."

"Besides, you've got a date tomorrow night, don't you?"

Blair looked over at his friend, then shrugged.  "I'm probably going to call and cancel.  I mean, I just met that woman.  I didn't think she'd agree to meet me at the Canyon.  And since when have you become the keeper of my social calendar?"

Jim offered a half-shrug. "She just looked like she'd be a hot date, that's all."

Blair chuckled softly.  "To be honest, I've getting so used to taking care of myself.  I'm not sure what to do on a date anymore."

Ellison's eyes widened and he quickly rolled back so he was staring at the sky again.

"Know what I mean?" Blair asked, his heart pounding against his breastbone.

"Uh, yeah, sure.  Yeah, I guess I do," Jim said hesitantly.  "My hours don't exactly make dating the easiest thing in the world."

Blair kept the triumphal grin off his face.  He was getting somewhere if he had Jim Ellison tongue-tied. 

"Well," Jim said, standing.  "I think we'd better get some sleep.  We can make a decision about breakfast."

"Sounds good," Blair agreed, deciding that he'd make his move in the morning.

Both men pulled out their sleeping bags and air mattresses and were soon lying comfortably on their beds.  "Good-night," Blair said.

"Night, Chief."

Jim listened as Blair turned over and snuggled down to sleep.  It was too warm for blankets, so they were both relying on thin flannel sheets to keep them warm and protect them from any nighttime insects – both men having stripped down to their boxers.  He waited, listening to the crickets, the water, and Sandburg's breathing.

Several minutes passed before Jim heard what he wanted, the shift to long, deep breaths as Blair slipped into sleep.  He sat up quietly, watching the dark-haired man carefully, but he didn't stir.  _So far, so good_ , he thought.

He moved his bed closer so he could lie next to his dark-haired partner.  The first thing he noticed was the faint smell of soap that clung to Sandburg's hair.  Jim reached up, letting his fingers caress the long, dark strands.  It was soft and fine, but different than a woman's.  Blair sighed softly, but remained asleep.

Ellison's hand drifted down, resting lightly on Blair's bare shoulder.  As softly as he could, Jim caressed the sleep-slackened muscles.

Sandburg moaned quietly, then rolled back toward the faint touch.

With Blair on his back, Jim had more territory to explore, but he hesitated.  All of the clues raced through the sentinel's mind – the looks, the comments, the sound of his guide's racing heart, the aroma of his arousal, the softly whispered name he'd been uttering as he jerked off in his room these last few months.  Oh, it was all there, clear as black and white.  Blair Sandburg – friend, partner, roommate, guide – was turned on by one James Ellison.

And then there was the incident at the hot springs.  Maybe it was just the beer that time, but Ellison couldn't deny that his own attraction for the man had been growing steadily ever since that evening.  Whenever he woke to the soft sounds of Blair jacking-off, he'd been closing his eyes and jerking himself off right along with him.

But not tonight.  Tonight was going to be different.

Jim leaned forward, his lips brushing the skin across Sandburg's collarbone.  Another soft moan.  He shifted lower, daring to kiss a nipple. 

Blair groaned, his shoulders pinching backwards slightly.  Jim took the hint and licked the hard nub with a quick flick of his tongue.  There was the faint taste from the soap mixed with Blair's own unique scent, creating a pleasant sweetness in his mouth that made him hard.

 _Now or never_ , Jim thought, reaching out to lightly stroke Sandburg's thigh.  There was a slight intake of breath.

Refusing to check and see if Blair was awake, Jim continued with his split attack, his tongue teasing at the hard nipple, his hand moving to caress the man's inner thigh.  Then, mentally crossing his fingers, Jim allowed his hand to cover Blair's filling cock.

"God… Jim… what're you doing?"

"Feel good?" he asked huskily.  A groan was the reply when his fingers squeezed lightly.

Things escalated quickly, Blair rolling over and returning Ellison's favors.  The younger man chuckled, reaching out to pull Jim into a tight embrace.  Their kiss was passionate and testing, each searching for boundaries and finding none.  Hands, freed of hesitation, began to explore.

"Know what I want?" Jim asked.

The burning blue eyes made the answer obvious, but Blair wasn't going to make it easy.  "What?"

Jim's hand slid up Sandburg's thigh, then squeezed.  "Let me show you."

Blair felt his heart kick and pick up speed.  He was already good and hard.  He nodded silently.

"Tonight I'm doing the experiments," Jim said softly.

"Oh?"

The blue eyes pinned Sandburg, and Jim smiled inwardly when he saw Blair nod.

"Okay."

"Good."

Ellison planted a series of feather-light kisses across the exposed skin, winning himself a sucked-in breath and soft moan.  He reached out, hooking his fingers over the band of the boxers.  He wanted to jerk the material down, get them out of the way, but the building passion in the dancing blue eyes gave him the strength to proceed with his slow seduction.

With Blair completely exposed, Jim paused, reaching out and caressing Sandburg's bare shoulders.  The grad student moaned, his head rolling slightly side to side with the motion of Ellison's hands.  Those same hands wandered down Blair's chest, teasing nipples before descending on his crotch, touching lightly, then skittering away.  "Don't move," Jim commanded.  "Just let me touch you."

Blair closed his eyes, giving Ellison the permission he needed.  He engaged in his attack wholeheartedly, starting at Sandburg's feet, rubbing and squeezing, drawing a long moan of pleasure from the younger man.

"You really ought to relax more, Chief."

"Some things are more relaxing than others."

Ellison grinned, working his way up the slender calves, his fingers sliding through the soft hair, tickling behind the man's knees.

Blair sucked in a sharp breath, then sighed with pleasure.

He watched Sandburg grow hard as he stroked the man's thighs.  His legs fell open, giving Jim the room he needed to maneuver.  He reached in, teasing at the dark hair of his guide's groin.

Blair's head rolled slowly from side to side, fingers curling into the flannel sheet.

Ellison let his fingers brush over Blair's cock, smiling as the hips pressed up slightly.

"Ah," Sandburg breathed, "that feels so good."

Ellison chuckled softly.  "Yes, I know."  His hands moved next to the lightly quivering belly, pushing and pulling over the skin, first hard, then soft.  He pushed up along the ribs, then ran his fingers like water over Sandburg's chest, enjoying the feel of the soft hair and making sure he brushed both hard nipples.

"Oh, God…"

Giving in to temptation, Jim bowing his head, the tip of his tongue brushing one hard nub and prompting another, more desperate moan.

Ellison moved back to the shoulders, knowing he wouldn't be able to keep up the slow pace much longer.  His own need sped his hands as they eased up Sandburg's neck and played across the man's face.

They were both breathing hard when he finished.  He bowed his head again, this time to Blair's parted lips.

Sandburg arched up, pressing his mouth firmly against Jim's.

Ellison pulled back, his hands forcing his guide down.  "Just enjoy," he reminded.

Feather-soft kisses followed, tracing over Sandburg's face and neck like soft drops of rain.  They moved down to collarbones, and finally back to the man's aching nipples.  Tongue-tip circled, then pressed, lips sucked, teeth nipping gently.  He tugged gently on the single nipple ring.

Blair tossed his head, his body flushing a soft pink.  "Jim," he groaned.

"In good time."  He saw his guide's swollen cock jump and traced a fingertip along its length.

Sandburg moaned, his hips bucking.

Standing, Jim quickly stepped out of his own boxers.  When he settled back on the sleeping bag, he let his hands roam over Blair's body, touching, squeezing, scratching, rubbing until the man's cock stood, red and pulsing, a milky white drop at the tip reflecting the firelight.  With each touch he allowed his senses more and more freedom.  He could hear each of Sandburg's breaths, the moans that stalled in his throat.  He could see the pleasure on the man's face, smell the steadily growing arousal.  His fingertips were so sensitive it was like each one was wired straight to his cock.

"Turn over," he said, his voice thick with desire.  If he wanted this to last, he had to slow things down again.

"Jim," he moaned.  " _Do_ something…   _Please_."

"Turn over."

With a sigh and a groan, Blair did, easing himself down carefully.  When he was settled, Ellison eased himself down and started on the feet again.

"You're driving me crazy!" Sandburg growled into his pillow.

Jim chuckled.  "Now you know how I feel when you're running all those damned experiments on me."

But this time the massage proceeded more quickly.  When Jim finished caressing Blair's inner thighs, he reached in to fondle the man's weighty balls.

"Ahhh," Sandburg moaned.

Ellison skipped over the butt, rubbing and scratching Blair's back and shoulders first, then his neck.  Finally he tangled his fingers into the long brown hair and rubbed while Blair sagged heavily, his muscles languid with pleasure.

With a wicked smile, Ellison blew softly down the crack of Blair's ass.  The dark head popped up, hair flying, with a startled grunt that turned into a moan as Jim's fingers kneaded the two cheeks, pressing them together and pulling them apart.  One finger targeted the sensitive sphincter and pressed.

Sandburg choked back a cry, his hips driving up off the ground.

Jim turned him over.  "Now we get down to business," he said softly.

"Oh, God," was the thick reply.

Lying next to Sandburg, Jim leaned over and kissed him, waiting the second it took for the lips to part before running a teasing tongue over them.  They parried, lips grinding, then pulling back while they reveled in the taste of each other.

Jim's hand snaked out, teasing one nipple, then the other, then trailing down to squeeze the dark-red shaft.  Blair's hips lifted, and together they created a rhythm of pleasure and need.

Sandburg's hand reached out, closing on Jim's.  "I want to touch you," he said.

Jim nodded.

Sandburg scooted closer, then leaned over and kissed the almost purple head of Ellison's excited cock.  Letting it slip into his mouth, he ran his tongue around the top.

Jim's fingers tightened on Blair's cock.  "Yes… that feels so good," he whispered, zoning out momentarily on the sensations washing through his body.  Then he shook himself and trembled.  "I want to do that to you."

Blair nodded.  It was time they both got the release they wanted.  He moved, giving Jim's mouth access to his cock, while he started back to work on Ellison.  He almost stopped as teeth nipped carefully on his crown as fingers worked their way to his balls and began to pull and squeeze.

 _Two can play that game_ , Sandburg thought, reaching in to cup Jim's balls, then decided to try a different approach.  His hand continued, his fingers seeking.  He felt the flesh in his mouth convulse and knew he'd found what he wanted.  He pressed, sending his finger further into the soft warmth.

"Oh, Christ," Jim mumbled around his mouthful.

Blair pressed in deeper, sucking at the same time.  With a strangled cry Ellison humped forward, come erupting like a geyser.  At the first salty taste Sandburg felt himself explode in Ellison's mouth.

Pleasure jolted through both men as they sucked each other dry.  Then they collapsed.  Jim's arms swung wide, falling out at his sides.

Blair climbed around to lie next to him.  "God, you made me feel good," he said softly.

Jim chuckled, one arm coming up to wrap around Sandburg and pull him closer.

"What?" Blair asked.

"Nothing."

He poked Jim in the ribs.  "Tell me."

"I was just remembering a certain hot springs and all those bottles of free beer."  He looked at Sandburg.  "You've been planning this, haven't you?"

Blair felt his cheeks go red.  "Yeah," he admitted.  "But I wouldn't exactly say 'planning'.  More like I was… mulling it over, in case the opportunity came up.  Tomorrow morning looked like a good time for an opportunity."

"Something certainly came up," Jim teased.

Sandburg laughed.  "I guess it did."  He noticed Ellison's thoughtful expression.  "What?"

"I was just thinking.  Earlier I thought I was going out on a limb… doing this," he grinned.  "Didn't think it'd be the truth!"

"I'll show you a limb," Sandburg threatened good-naturedly.  "But not now, I'm–"

"Happy?"

Blair met his sentinel's gaze.  "Yes.  Happy."

"Good."  Jim snuggled up against his guide.

"Then we can do this again?"

"If you convince me."

Blair reached out, tapping the head of Ellison's flaccid cock.  "I'll convince you in the morning."

"Now that sounds like a plan."

Closing his eyes, Blair let himself drift off to sleep, wrapped in the circle of the Jim's arms and love.

Ellison pulled up the flannel sheet, making sure they were both covered, then closed his own eyes.  Listening to the ever-present beat of his guide's heart, he followed the sound into his own dreamland.


End file.
